Meaning & Origins

Biblical name (meaning ‘watchful’ in Hebrew), borne by a character mentioned very briefly in the Bible, one of the chief officers of King David (2 Samuel 20:26). It was taken up by the Puritans in the 17th century, and is still occasionally used, mainly in the United States. It was famously borne by the lyricist Ira Gershwin (1896–1983).